How I am turning into my parents

Now that I have my own little one I am seeing more and more ways in which we do things similarly to my parents.  I am following in their footsteps in ways that I never imagined!

• Garden-growing up my parents had numerous amazing gardens and I never appreciated it all.  In fact, I didn’t really like either the chores or the vegetables.  Now, I am a total convert.  I adore our little garden that we have been working on here and dream of doing more.  I enjoy the chores and the produce!   
• Playing in bed with J-I fondly remember playing in bed under the cover with my mom on weekends, when she--like me--wasn’t too enthused about getting out of bed.  Now J and I do the same!
• Lists and labels-This is something my father and I share.  Lists and lists.  Brad likes to say I make lists about making lists.  Not true, but close. And I am even starting to label a little bit . . .
• Collecting books-The house I grew up in had books in every nook, and my collection is starting to look that way.  Awhile ago a friend commented about how crazy her hubby was for holding onto his college text books.  I laughed—because I still have most of mine!  And when I told this story to my father, he topped me, saying he still had some of his!
• Wood heat-Like my parents, Brad and I try to do things as simply as possible.  Brad cuts all our wood from our woods and last year we only had wood heat.  This year we did get a small backup propane tank, but haven’t touched it yet.  My parents didn’t have anything but wood heat until I was born.  (We also haven’t had a working dryer since last spring.)
• VPR-Again, was a major part of my childhood, and something I complained about.  Now it’s on a lot of the time here!  (Actually, I swear that it was a lifeline when I was home full-time, and sometimes I still need it for this reason.)
• Anti-commercialism-My mom would never allow me to have Barbie's and I didn’t have many of the other traditional toys either.  I had the very best toys: the woods and nature.  Joseph has already picked up on the fact that he doesn’t have the same toys as other kids and it is hard to stick to, but I really don't believe in all that branded, cheap, plastic.
• Vermont—I grew up here; always wanted to leave until I finally left and then came right back to stay.  Now I am so happy to be raising my little guy here!